All-Academic Camp Standouts: Part II

Bash Hudson

August 3, 2021 @ 04:08 PM

Below are a few players who caught my attention during the All-Academic camp.   [player_tooltip player_id="292623" first="Carrie" last="Hess"] - Bay State Jaguars/Shrewsbury - 5’11’’ - PF - ’22 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-313659" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/08/27270608_Unknown-crop-1368x898-1628024760-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Hess was one of the most consistent prospects throughout the camp, and I thought she was the best player overall on the first day. What immediately stood out was her help defense. Hess communicated well and was anchoring her team’s defense better than anyone I watched, while also being in the proper position to make a play. On offense, Hess’s playmaking separated her from the other power forwards at the camp. She is a phenomenal passer who always makes the right pass on time and on target; Hess also showed the ability to put the ball on the deck, score off the dribble, and space the floor with her three-point shooting.   [player_tooltip player_id="266806" first="Sophie" last="Cronin"] - MT Elite Ducks/Montrose - 5’9’’ - CG - ’23 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-313657" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/08/27270768_Unknown-crop-1318x865-1628024714-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Cronin’s most impressive performance came on the last day of the camp. Cronin, who plays mostly point guard for her Ducks team, was getting a ton of reps off the ball during the camp, and it showed me how efficient of a scorer she is on the wing. I already knew Cronin was a deadly spot-up three-point shooter, but what I noticed last week was her shiftiness and efficiency scoring when penetrating the lane. There were countless moments of changing speeds, sidestepping around defenders, and finishing strong at the cup. Another element of Cronin’s game that stood out was how good a teammate she is. The positive reinforcement and encouragement coming from Cronin, whether she was on or off the court, showed how engaged she was, and she brought that energy to every game.   [player_tooltip player_id="313651" first="Hope" last="Nardone"] - MA Huskies/Phillips Andover- 6’0’’ - SF - ’23 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-313653" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/08/27270752_Unknown-crop-1465x962-1628024605-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> In my opinion, Nardone has the highest ceiling of anyone who represented the ’23 class at the camp. Her height, length, and three-point accuracy made her one of the most unique players I saw. She has a good-looking jump shot and is very confident shooting contested threes. There was a specific sequence one day where Nardone ripped a three-pointer in the defender’s face one possession, and then the following offensive trip down put the ball on the floor and got a bucket at the rim through traffic with ease. Nardone is a tough cover, and the opposition had trouble containing her. I also think she can become a tenacious, versatile defender. Her physical gifts plus athleticism allow her to defend both the perimeter and down low.   [player_tooltip player_id="292783" first="Lydia" last="Mordarski"] - Bay State Jaguars/Bishop Feehan - 5’9’’ - SG - ’22 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-313655" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/08/27270640_Unknown-crop-1307x858-1628024660-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> I’ve watched Mordarski on a few occasions during the July live period, and she has been one of the many bright spots for the Jaguars. She kept that momentum flowing into the All-Academic Camp by being one of the most polished offensive players of the week. She is a sharpshooting wing who is a sniping specialist from the corner. Mordarski also penetrates the lane relentlessly and always goes up strong trying to finish through contact. She is not the biggest or most athletic wing but is a very crafty ball handler and knows how to get to her spots. Mordarski runs the floor well and, in transition, found a lot of success scoring going downhill.